Archive for category: Sports

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Supporting Underrepresented Communities in Southern Morocco

Underrepresented Communities in Southern MoroccoThe Marathon Des Sables is a race that tests the boundaries of human capability. Participants endure a grueling multi-day ultra-marathon, running 254 kilometers over the unforgiving sands of the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The longest stage, a punishing 91-kilometer stint, has marathoners baking for hours in the equatorial desert sun, covering kilometers of distance over the parched sands. The marathon spotlights an incredible feat of human grit and determination, but it also races toward life-changing humanitarian milestones for the rural, desert communities of Morocco.

The Race Begins

Patrick Bauer, the founder of the famous Marathon des Sables, continues to prioritize helping support children and underrepresented communities in Southern Morocco. The official associated charity, Solidarité, focuses on the education and support of hundreds of underprivileged families. Through charity places and the minimum target of £500 participants must raise to secure their position on the start line, Solidarité, along with other associated charities, has implemented initiatives to provide education primarily through sport.

Despite national multidimensional poverty rates falling to 6.8% in 2024, rural inequalities persist. Among the population living in poverty, 72% were from rural communities. These rural, underrepresented communities experience four times the poverty rate compared to urban areas. The efforts of the Marathon des Sables offer a glimpse at a remedy. Multidimensional poverty rates provide insight into poverty not purely from an income perspective, but through equitable access to health care, education, housing and other basic services. Within underrepresented communities in Southern Morocco, the Marathon des Sables strengthens access to these necessities, mitigating the serious risk rural families face of slipping back into poverty.

Sport Used as Support

Since 2010, donors, Solidarité, and supporting NGO Almayuda have constructed a sports center for the children of Isfoutalil and Tasassinte, the outlying neighbors of Ouarzazate. The center welcomes children free of charge, offering supervision, computer science lessons and sports instruction, along with educational supplies and snacks. The initiative is now expanding to aid the mothers of these children, with the inclusion of a lending library, free Arabic literary lessons and French lessons. Gender inequality is particularly pernicious within the Moroccan job market; Morocco has one of the world’s lowest labor force participation rates for women and rural communities are disproportionately affected. These efforts, facilitated by the Marathon des Sables, align with the aims of the government to prioritize job creation and access, particularly for rural employment and investment support.

Since the introduction of upskilling efforts at the Solidarité Almayuda sports center, 12 mothers have created a business cooperative to create fashion accessories and home decor. This is just one example of the positive impact funding is creating.

Alongside the efforts of the marathon’s associated charities, the race itself has prompted a hugely impactful humanitarian effort. More than 38 attending doctors present for the duration of the race, visit the residents of local villages the marathoners pass through and offer medical care to anyone who wants it. Organizers also select and complete one development project within the rural communities that fall in the race perimeter. From equipping schools in the villages of Tarricht and Amougger to installing water pumps and sanitation facilities in isolated villages to the donation of vehicles to a home for the handicapped in Ouarzazate, approaches are targeted and holistic, prompting accessibility within these underrepresented communities in Southern Morocco.

It Is More Than a Race

Alongside the positive environmental and humanitarian efforts the marathon has fostered, the world-renowned race brings much-needed visibility to a hugely underrepresented region of Southern Morocco. With the race route meandering across the arid desert plains and through villages carved into the endless desert sands, the Marathon des Sables showcases the raw, unforgiving beauty of the Sahara Desert and its enduring communities.

As sponsor Oliver Gilbert remarks, it is also a chance to provide members of underrepresented desert communities an opportunity to tackle the sands of their native land. “Many runners who are natives of southern Morocco,” he comments, “who would not have been able to pay for registration or their kit, have their expenses covered by donors.” As such, “the winners for the past few years have been two brothers from a modest rural background in the region of Draa.” This race is both strengthening and a display of the strength of these incredibly durable and resilient communities living attuned to the sands of the world’s most inhospitable environment.

– Millie Lavington-Owen

Millie is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Children Benefit from Sports for Good

Sports for GoodSports bind people, as they are not just fun or leisure activities, but rather a form of social cause helping tackle issues like poverty. Sports like cricket have helped children from impoverished backgrounds become some of the most popular household names.

Cricket for Good: A Global Partnership

For sports to actually cause a difference, boards like the International Cricket Council and domestic circuits like the Australian cricket team have taken great steps alongside global organizations like United Nations Childrens’ Fund (UNICEF) to establish programs and sports for goodwill.

One of the prime examples is “Cricket for Good,” which was initiated in 2015 as a five-year partnership between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF to use cricket as a means to improve the lives of poor and unsupported children across the world.

For the ICC, the partnership carried institutional benefits as well; as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, it was a golden opportunity to improve reach and accessibility to cricket across non-traditional cricketing nations.

However, the ICC and UNICEF kept the focus of the partnership toward poor child development, from nutrition and quality education to protection. This overall contributed to improving children’s lives, regardless of what area of the world they were from.

This partnership was extended and still continues, and is reflected in international games, especially international tournaments hosted by the ICC, from World Cups to WT20 cups.

When Cricket for Good Improved Lives

Cricket for Good’s pilot program launched successfully in Papua New Guinea and also found success in Fiji. Cricket Fiji, along with the ICC, the Ministry of Sports and the Australian cricket team, has used cricket as a means to overcome gender discrimination among children and to provide a platform for their physical and mental development. This is especially important since Oceania has a roughly 34% female poverty rate, the second highest after Sub-Saharan Africa. With half of the program’s coaches being women, the initiative has strengthened its effort to provide resources and support regardless of gender.

In 2016, the program launched the movement “Team Swachh,” months before the WT20 hosted by India. It focused on improving toilet use and sanitary practices among children from poor economic backgrounds, particularly those connected with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Prominent cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh were invited to play cricket with these children while promoting sanitation. The initiative covered 3,000 kilometers across eight host cities in India, meeting hundreds of impoverished children to spread awareness of sanitation.

Expanding Reach Through Global Campaigns

The success of the 2016 movement led to another campaign in 2017, held in the United Kingdom (U.K.), aimed at protecting children’s lives, called #oneday4children. The campaign also sought to raise funds toward a safer world for children and to provide greater sports-related opportunities for less fortunate kids in the U.K. Sponsors of ICC contributed in various ways, including Booking.com donating $500 for every wicket, Gray-Nicolls giving 25% of proceeds from a limited-edition bat to UNICEF, and Uber pledging $500 for every four runs scored.

In 2023, South Africa hosted the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, and Cricket for Good set up sports clinics in partnership with Cricket South Africa and UNICEF, which were visited by more than 450 people. These clinics were not limited to playing or teaching sports; they also offered life lessons on overall well-being and how to navigate difficulties in life, expanding the reach of “sports for good” to the U-19 age group.

The Path Ahead

A partnership originally intended to finish in 2020 has exceeded its deadline and been extended many times, reflecting the program’s continued importance to the community. It has provided platforms for children facing poverty across nations and helped connect them with the world of sports, spanning countries from India to Burundi.

Cricket Australia has also joined with the United Nations (U.N.) to launch a campaign called “Every Child Can Play,” in which Australian cricket players such as Pat Cummins tour the world to support children by providing cricket kits and other developmental aid to improve their lives.

The success of the program rests on the continued appreciation of cricket and the efforts of cricketers, boards and everyday people to promote sports for good, helping not only to provide entertainment but also to change lives for the future.

– Tanay Ashok Sonthalia

Tanay is based in Melbourne, Australia and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Sports Programs Fighting Poverty: Breaking the Cycle

Children playing basketball in a gym, part of sports programs fighting poverty.Sports and poverty reduction are closely connected through the work of organizations that use sports to help young people in low-income communities build better futures. Sports are not only about playing games or staying active. They can also support education, teach life skills and create job opportunities. Young people are hit hardest by poverty worldwide. The International Labour Organization reports that youth aged 15 to 24 are more than twice as likely as adults to be working poor. In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of employed young people live in working poverty. The five sports programs fighting poverty below help keep young people in school, build life skills and open doors to jobs. According to the United Nations, sports and poverty reduction can support development by improving education, health and the empowerment of young people.

Grassroot Soccer

Grassroot Soccer uses football to support sports and poverty reduction by teaching young people about health and life skills. According to the International Platform on Sport and Development, Tommy Clark founded the organization in 2002 after seeing how popular football was in Zimbabwe. He recognized it could be used to reach young people with important health information. Grassroot Soccer reports that its programs have reached more than 18 million young people in more than 60 countries, showing how sports programs fighting poverty can work at scale.

It also works with more than 13,000 trained coaches who deliver lessons through football activities. The organization partners with groups like United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to teach young people about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention, sexual health and mental well-being. Recently, it has also added mental health support programs to help young people cope with stress and challenges in their lives.

Mathare Youth Sports Association

The Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) demonstrates how sports and poverty reduction can support community development. According to the International Platform on Sport and Development, young people in Nairobi, Kenya, founded MYSA in 1987 by organizing football games in their community. MYSA uses football to encourage young people to take part in activities that help their communities. These include cleaning up neighborhoods, attending school programs and learning leadership skills. The organization has grown beyond Kenya and now works in places like Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Botswana and refugee camps in Kakuma. MYSA reports that it has helped more than 200,000 young people through sports and poverty reduction programs that combine football with education and community service.

Magic Bus

Magic Bus is an organization in India that uses sports and poverty reduction programs to help young people from poor communities. According to the organization, Magic Bus started in 1999 in Mumbai. It uses sports activities to teach life skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving. Magic Bus explains that its “Childhood to Livelihood” program helps young people stay in school and later find jobs. As reported by CSR Universe, the organization works across 24 states in India and reached about 1.8 million young people in 2023-24. More than 100,000 young people have found jobs through its programs, illustrating how sports programs fighting poverty can improve education and employment opportunities.

Fight for Peace

Fight for Peace uses boxing and martial arts as part of its sports and poverty reduction approach to support young people living in unsafe and low-income communities. According to Partners of the Americas, Luke Dowdney started Fight for Peace in 2000 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fight for Peace uses a “Five Pillars” model that combines sports with education, job training, mentoring and personal development support. This helps young people build discipline, confidence and skills for work. The organization works in several countries and supports thousands of young people every year. According to the organization, it recorded more than 20,000 visits to its training programs in 2025, highlighting the reach of its sports and poverty reduction work.

Skateistan

Skateistan uses skateboarding to support sports and poverty reduction for children in poor and underserved communities. According to the BBC, in 2007 its founder started Skateistan in Kabul, Afghanistan, teaching children how to skateboard as a way to connect them with learning opportunities. Skateistan says its programs combine skateboarding with classroom learning, art and life skills education. More than half of its participants are girls and it has reached more than 10,000 young people. Today, Skateistan runs permanent Skate Schools in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. It also runs the Goodpush Alliance, which connects more than 1,000 skate programs around the world. This helps expand sports and poverty reduction efforts globally.

Sports and poverty reduction programs show that sports can do more than entertain. They can also help young people learn, grow and find opportunities for the future. While sports alone cannot end poverty, they can open doors to education and jobs. Organizations like Grassroot Soccer, MYSA, Magic Bus, Fight for Peace and Skateistan demonstrate what sports programs fighting poverty can look like in practice and how they improve lives in many parts of the world.

– Abisola Oladipupo

Abisola is based in Hatfield, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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5 World Cup Soccer Players Who Grew Up in Poverty

Silhouette of a child playing soccer at sunset on a street. World Cup Soccer Players Who Grew Up in PovertySoccer ranks as the most popular sport in the world by a considerable margin, with approximately 3.5 billion fans across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The FIFA World Cup boasted an estimated audience of 5 billion in 2022, making it the most-watched sports event worldwide. Historically regarded as a working-class sport, soccer has evolved into a multibillion-dollar global industry that continues to use its influence to lift aspiring superstars out of poverty.

The Challenges of Rising From Poverty

The path to sports stardom is difficult, with numerous hurdles facing soccer players who grew up in poverty. These include lack of access to health care and education, proximity to crime and volatile environments, and an overall lack of confidence or motivation. The biggest barrier is often financial, due to the costs of joining youth clubs and paying for kits. However, pathways opened by clubs and foundations exist because the industry understands that a young boy playing on the street in an impoverished neighborhood with a stuffed sock can grow up to become a legend like Pelé.

World Cup Players From Humble Beginnings

Forty-eight countries qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing together hundreds of players from various cultural and economic backgrounds. Here are five World Cup soccer players who grew up in poverty.

  • Luis Díaz (Colombia): Colombian winger Luis Díaz’s story is emblematic of many soccer players who grew up in poverty. An Indigenous Wayuu child from La Guajira, a Colombian region with a poverty rate of 67.4%, Díaz’s soccer destiny was uncertain due to malnutrition and financial instability. Despite his slender appearance, the 17-year-old Díaz impressed at a local soccer tournament, joining the Atlético Junior youth team. This set him on a path leading to a Premier League championship with Liverpool, a Bundesliga championship with Bayern Munich, and the Copa América Golden Boot award. Díaz has used his wealth to set up a family foundation supporting underdeveloped communities in Colombia and serves as the ambassador for The Passage and Centrepoint.
  • Luka Modrić (Croatia): Widely considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Luka Modrić’s childhood was tumultuous. Born in Croatia, he was five years old when the Croatian War of Independence erupted, displacing at least 170,000 Croatian civilians. Modrić recalls seeing his grandfather executed by Serb rebels, living without water and electricity for two years, and practicing soccer in hotel parking lots while bombs exploded. Initially rejected by Hajduk Split for being too skinny, Modrić signed with Dinamo Zagreb at age 16 and later played for Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid. He has won six UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, the Ballon d’Or, and led Croatia to second place at the FIFA World Cup. He founded the Luka Modrić scholarship program, offering 100 scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  • Endrick Sousa (Brazil):  A 19-year-old striker from Brazil, Endrick has already made a considerable impression. At age 16, he was signed by Real Madrid in a deal worth €60 million, prompting comparisons with Ronaldo and Neymar, who also came from humble beginnings. Though Brazil has made progress with its poverty rate, reaching a historic low of 3%, it remains an inequitable country. Growing up on the outskirts of Brasília, Endrick’s childhood was marked by financial hardship; when his father abandoned the family, his mother became unemployed and homeless. Endrick and his siblings spent six months in an orphanage. With family support, Endrick joined the Palmeiras youth club and became the youngest player to play for their senior team, scoring 11 goals toward their Brasileirão Serie A victory. He is the youngest player in over 50 years to debut for the Brazil national team and was a natural choice for their 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
  • Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast):  Although the poverty rate in Côte d’Ivoire has decreased in recent years, it exceeded 50% when Amad Diallo was a child. In 2008, at age 8, Amad emigrated to Italy with his brother Hamed Traorè, gaining access to education and a better living standard. This move allowed Amad to join local club Boca Barco, leading to signings with Serie A club Atalanta and Premier League club Manchester United. An investigation by Italian authorities into soccer player trafficking brought Amad’s story into question, with allegations that he had entered the country using falsified documents. The trafficking of aspiring soccer players from Africa to Europe remains a documented problem, with estimates suggesting the number of cases could reach as high as 15,000 per year. Amad reached a settlement in the case and has not spoken publicly about it. The 23-year-old was chosen to represent Ivory Coast at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
  • Alphonso Davies (Canada):  Alphonso Davies’ parents were Liberians who fled Monrovia during the Second Liberian Civil War, which displaced around half of the country’s population. They fled to a refugee camp in Ghana, where Alphonso was born and lived for five years. His family emigrated to Canada in 2005, and he obtained Canadian citizenship at age 16. He started playing soccer with Free Footie, a free after-school program, and signed with the Whitecaps FC Academy at age 14. His career skyrocketed to Bayern Munich, where he won the UEFA Champions League and the Golden Boy award. Alphonso scored Canada’s first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup and is a vocal advocate for refugee support, serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Looking Ahead

These stories show that soccer is more than a business or entertainment; it can be a means of escape for those without other options. These five soccer players who grew up in poverty have ascended beyond their humble beginnings to play at the largest sporting spectacle in the world. They have used the fame and wealth that soccer has brought them to give back, helping others from disadvantaged backgrounds realize their ambitions. Multiple groups, including the UEFA Foundation for Children and the Professional Footballers’ Association, actively work to make such dreams a reality for more people worldwide, inspiring hope and changing lives through soccer.

– Aled Warren

Aled is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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3 Ways ‘Moving The Goalposts’ is Empowering Girls in Kenya

Empowering Girls in KenyaEmpowerment means having the confidence, resources and opportunities to make decisions about one’s own life. However, many women in Kenya still face significant barriers to achieving this due to persistent poverty, unequal access to education, restrictive gender norms and limited economic opportunities. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that in rural areas of Kenya only 27.6% of women are considered empowered, while girls are much less likely than boys to complete their education due to factors such as poverty, child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

To address these challenges, the nonprofit organization Moving The Goalposts (MTG) has been using football as a tool for social change since 2001. Founded in Kilifi County, MTG describes itself as “a movement powered by sport, community and purpose.” Through its sports, education and health programs, the organization has reached over 50,000 girls and young women ages 9 to 25 across Kenya. Here are three ways Moving The Goalposts is empowering girls in Kenya.

Building Female Leadership Skills

Moving The Goalposts empowers girls by developing them into leaders within their own communities. The football program trains girls as peer mentors, referees and coaches, giving them the opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills on and off the pitch. There are 6,000 women in the program serving as mentors, supporting younger girls and acting as role models in their communities. These leadership abilities build confidence and encourage girls to use their voice to advocate for their rights in education and community development, as well as improving their future employment opportunities.

This is especially important as gender inequality persists in Kenya. Women’s opportunities take a hit after an early marriage or pregnancy, closing the door to higher education. A lack of affordable, quality child care worsens this cycle. The World Bank states that about 31% of 19-year-old girls are already married or have children, a figure that jumps to 49% among the poorest. Helping girls stay engaged in education is therefore key to MTG’s mission.

Supporting Education and School Retention

Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, yet in Kenya many women leave school without completing their education. According to the World Bank, in Kenya’s poorest areas, 51.3% of women have no education, compared to a national average of 17%. The MTG education program aims to reduce the number of girls who drop out by supporting their educational development, from primary to secondary school and even through vocational training. MTG has a 90% transition rate from primary to secondary school through its academic program and has supported the education of more than 5,000 girls.

To achieve this, MTG provides essential resources such as school fees and learning materials, allowing girls from low-income backgrounds to continue their education. This also gives them the opportunity to increase their future earning potential and improve outcomes for their families, helping break the cycle of poverty.

Improving Health Knowledge

The program considers access to health care and knowledge a fundamental right and trains peer mentors to educate girls on women’s health. MTG has provided these services to more than 50,000 girls and young women. This support is particularly important as teenage pregnancy remains common among girls living in poorer communities; in Kenya, 21% of women living in the poorest communities reported having experienced a teenage pregnancy. By providing accurate health information and peer support, MTG allows girls to make informed decisions about their futures. Better health outcomes can help girls stay in school, pursue employment opportunities and improve their long-term economic prospects.

Empowering Girls in Kenya

As Kenya continues working toward greater gender equality, organizations such as Moving The Goalposts demonstrate how sport can serve as a powerful tool for social and economic development. By helping girls develop leadership qualities, stay in school and make informed choices about their health and futures, the organization is creating opportunities that extend far beyond the football field. In doing so, MTG is helping thousands of young women in Kenya build brighter futures while contributing to the long-term fight against poverty.

– Emma Wheeler

Emma is based in Valencia, Spain and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Rwanda’s F1 Ambitions: A Race To Transform Africa

Rwanda's F1Rwanda, a landlocked nation in East Africa, is making a high-speed push onto the global stage and Formula 1 (F1) may be its most powerful vehicle yet. Rwanda’s F1 ambitions and economic growth have become central talking points in development circles as the sport turns its attention back to Africa for the first time in more than three decades. Rwanda positions itself not only as a host of the race but also as a model for how developing nations can use global sporting events to accelerate economic transformation.

Rwanda’s $1.2 Billion F1 Bid

The Rwandan government has officially bid to host Africa’s first F1 Grand Prix since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. The centerpiece of the initiative is a $1.2 billion state-of-the-art circuit planned near the new Bugesera International Airport, about 40 kilometers from the capital, Kigali. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the inaugural race targeted for 2027 or 2028. 

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, confirmed that the country remains in active talks with F1 leadership, pointing to the nation’s growing track record of hosting major international events. “We have demonstrated the capacity to host major sporting events,” Nduhungirehe told Semafor Africa.

The Economic Case for a Grand Prix

The link between F1 and Rwanda’s economic growth and long-term poverty reduction is grounded in concrete data. According to Further Africa, each F1 Grand Prix injects more than $100 million into a host country’s economy. Television broadcasts reach more than 400 million viewers worldwide and generate significant sponsorship and hospitality revenue.

Rwanda’s broader economy is already on a strong upward trajectory. The World Bank reported that Rwanda’s real GDP grew by 8.9% in 2024, surpassing the previous year’s rate of 8.2%, driven by robust private consumption, significant investment and strong performance in the services and industry sectors. That growth also produced tangible results for workers, with more than half a million new jobs created year over year. 

Sports Tourism Already Delivering Results

Rwanda has not waited for F1 to begin building its sports economy. The country signed sponsorship deals with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Atlético de Madrid as part of its “Visit Rwanda” tourism campaign. This strategy helped drive a 36% increase in tourism revenue to $636 million in 2023.

In 2025, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) reported tourism revenues rising to $685 million, supported by 1.49 million visitor arrivals, a 9% year-over-year increase. That year also saw Rwanda host the UCI Road World Championships, a historic first for Africa, alongside Season 5 of the Basketball Africa League at the BK Arena in Kigali and the 73rd FIFA Congress. Rwanda’s travel and tourism sector contributed a record $1.5 billion to the national economy in 2024, representing 9.8% of GDP.

Building the Infrastructure of Growth

Rwanda’s sports ambitions are matched by targeted infrastructure investment. The Ministry of Sports has set a target of generating approximately $20.4 million (Rwf 30 billion) from sports tourism by 2029, a dramatic increase from the roughly $681,000 (Rwf 1 billion) projected for the 2024/25 fiscal year. Plans also include the construction of 540 sports facilities nationwide by 2028/29, with priority given to schools and public spaces to broaden access to athletics and associated economic opportunities.

Job creation is a direct priority. Experts forecast steady growth in sports tourism jobs, with positions increasing from 2,625 in 2024/25 to 3,190 by 2028/29. This growth across hotels, event planning and sports support services will create clear employment opportunities for young Rwandans.

A Blueprint Beyond the Track

Rwanda’s sports-led growth model aligns with its broader Vision 2050 agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification, job creation and sustainable development. The RDB reported $2.62 billion in registered investments across 799 projects in 2025, which are expected to generate more than 38,000 jobs in real estate, manufacturing and tourism. Analysts tracking the relationship between F1 and Rwanda’s economic growth say the motorsport bid reflects a broader pattern of using high-visibility events to attract foreign investment and build lasting infrastructure.

Local drivers Eric Gakwaya and Queen Kalimpinya have expressed optimism that Rwanda’s motorsport ambitions will also catalyze the development of local talent. It will inspire a new generation to pursue careers in competitive racing and the industries that support it.

If Rwanda secures the Grand Prix, it will restore Africa’s presence on the F1 calendar. It will also demonstrate how strategic investment in major sporting events can drive poverty reduction, infrastructure development and long-term economic growth across the continent.

– Nay Mohamad 

Nay is based in Milan, Italy and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Indian Cricketers’ Charity: From Slums to Solutions

Indian Cricketers' CharitySachin Tendulkar grew up in a two-room flat in Bandra East, Mumbai. His father was a professor who barely had enough money to help a neighborhood newspaper boy pay for college but did it anyway. That detail has stayed with Tendulkar. Since 2009, through the Mumbai-based nonprofit Apnalaya, his foundation has quietly sponsored the education of more than 200 underprivileged children every year — not as a PR exercise, but as a debt repaid.

Cricket, Poverty and a Billion Watching

India’s poverty rate stands at 21.9%, with nearly 195 million people still undernourished — the largest such population in the world. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Cricket is the country’s most consumed cultural product, its players the most recognized faces on the planet. That collision — extraordinary influence meeting extraordinary need — is creating something unexpected: a generation of sporting icons using fame as a development tool.

Research consistently shows that each additional year of schooling can increase an individual’s earnings by up to 10%. These Indian cricketers’ charity seem to understand that better than most policy documents do.

5 Players 5 Different Bets on the Future

Virat Kohli’s foundation, established in 2013, partnered with the Raah Foundation on Project Nutrition for Transformation — a year-long nutritional food supply to 5,000 malnourished tribal children across 103 health centers in Maharashtra. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates 4.7 million tribal children in India suffer from chronic nutrition deprivation, with 80% concentrated in just eight states. UNICEF Kohli’s project targeted the most deprived group within that already-deprived population.

Gautam Gambhir took a different approach. In Delhi’s West Patel Nagar, he launched Community Kitchen No. 1 under his foundation with a single declared mission: no one should sleep hungry. The kitchen grew into four Jan Rasoi canteens serving approximately 4,000 meals a day at Re 1 per plate — a token amount charged, Gambhir said, so people could eat with dignity rather than charity.

Suresh Raina and his wife Priyanka launched the Gracia Raina Foundation to address a quieter crisis — the reproductive and mental health of underprivileged women and girls. The foundation runs adolescent health workshops in government schools and a RightAGE program targeting girls in underserved communities, tackling the generational poverty cycle at a point most interventions miss entirely.

Then there is Yuvraj Singh — perhaps the most personal story of all. After surviving a rare form of cancer following the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj launched the YouWeCan Foundation. To date it has screened more than 140,000 people in early detection camps, counseled 24,000 men on tobacco cessation and sponsored the complete school education of 150 cancer survivor children from below-poverty-line families. At a London fundraiser in July 2025 — attended by Tendulkar, Kohli, Brian Lara and the entire Indian national squad — Yuvraj put it plainly: “I know what it feels like to wake up unsure of your tomorrow.”

Personal Generosity vs. Structural Change

Indian cricketers’ charity is not a one-off charity event. They are sustained, targeted investments in specific communities — nutrition, education, health care, dignity — by people who grew up understanding what their absence means. Furthermore, they are making poverty visible to a billion-person audience that idolizes them. They are modeling a version of success that includes obligation. And in communities where government services have consistently failed to arrive, they are arriving instead.

– Parthivee Mukherji

Parthivee is based in Edinburgh, UK and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Sprinting Legends Are Helping to Alleviate Poverty in Jamaica

Poverty in JamaicaJamaica is widely celebrated as the sprinting capital of the world and for good reason. The nation has seen historic track dominance from icons like Veronica Campbell-Brown, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Yohan Blake, who collectively hold 28 Olympic medals. For these athletes, sport was a powerful gateway out of generational poverty. Through commercial endorsements and prize winnings, they translated their raw talent into bright economic futures. Their global success has also acted as a major economic mechanism for Jamaica, boosting its vital tourism industry that now contributes $4.5 billion to the Jamaican economy.

However, strict reliance on industries like tourism and agriculture, accounting for more than one-third of all Jamaican jobs according to the World Bank, leaves the economy vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns. This became evident in 2025, when Hurricane Melissa left a lasting impression on the economy, disrupting agriculture and challenging poverty reduction efforts in Jamaica. Reports from the UNDP noted damages amounting to 30% of Jamaica’s GDP, resulting in many vulnerable populations being forced to once again walk the poverty line.

With these economic challenges in mind, Jamaica’s track legends are stepping up to build stronger socioeconomic foundations for their homeland. Beyond boosting national tourism, the grassroots foundations founded by these sprinters are actively investing in the long-term economic resilience of the nation’s most vulnerable communities.

Usain Bolt Foundation

Established by world-record holder Bolt in 2009, this foundation aims to create sustainable opportunities for Jamaican youth through education and cultural development. The organization focuses heavily on enhancing early childhood and primary education by equipping underfunded schools with essential digital technology. Through targeted financial injections, the foundation regularly funds rural schools to sponsor athletic programs and supply critical sporting equipment. Most notably, in 2025, a donation totaling J$6.1 million (about $10,100) was divided among six rural high schools to support the ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships.

The foundation’s proactive approach became vital following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. Partnering with global organizations such as Puma and World Vision, the Usain Bolt Foundation quickly mobilized to distribute food kits, school bags and hygiene supplies to families in the hardest-hit rural communities. Furthermore, the foundation provided direct rehabilitation grants to damaged schools, accelerating the return to normal classroom learning. By securing access to quality education and physical recreation, Bolt’s foundation helps generations of young Jamaicans overcome economic hardships. In the long term, higher levels of education foster a highly skilled, diverse workforce, reducing poverty and ultimately equipping the economy in Jamaica to better withstand future natural disasters.

The Pocket Rocket Foundation

Founded by Olympic icon Fraser-Pryce in 2013, the Pocket Rocket Foundation focuses its investments on secondary education and financial support for promising young athletes. Established with the belief that financial barriers should never compromise a child’s future, the foundation provides full academic scholarships so talented student-athletes do not have to choose between their education, their sport and basic survival. By securing these vital athletic and academic pathways, the organization empowers young people to become the next generation of Jamaican sports leaders. This structural support opens up crucial opportunities for international university scholarships and commercial sponsorships, paving a sustainable way out of generational poverty in Jamaica.

YB Afraid Foundation

Blake’s YB Afraid Foundation, established in 2011, provides targeted support to children’s homes, directly addressing the needs of some of the most vulnerable individuals in Jamaica. The foundation aims to uplift children who have suffered from abuse and homelessness, funding facilities that provide safety as well as a place for children to learn and play. To date, the foundation has completely adopted three children’s homes in Jamaica: the Mount Olivet Boys’ Home (Manchester), the Pringle Home (St. Mary) and the Jamaica Baptist Union Garland Hall Memorial Children’s Home (Anchovy). This active initiative directly provides comprehensive care, clothing and educational tool funding for more than 50 children. With strategic plans already underway to expand this protective umbrella to seven homes nationwide, the foundation offers a much brighter, secure future to vulnerable children who might otherwise face severe socioeconomic hardships.

The VCB Foundation

The Campbell-Brown Foundation, founded in 2011, uses a multi-tiered approach focusing on educational empowerment, structured life-coaching and community health. Through its signature Educational Empowerment Scholarship program, the foundation fully funds underrepresented young women from their entry into high school through to graduation. Additionally, the foundation partners directly with the Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness to host an Annual Back to School Health and Wellness Fair. This recurring initiative provides hundreds of families in deeply underserved communities with free medical screenings, essential health education and vital wellness packages, ensuring a healthy foundation for academic success.

By mobilizing their global athletic success, these four track legends are creating a blueprint for overcoming the structural barriers to poverty in Jamaica. Through targeted education, community empowerment and youth support in sport, their respective foundations are helping to build a more economically stable and secure society. Ultimately, the true greatness of the nation is not just measured by how fast its people can run, but by how many individuals they carry across the finish line with them.

– Jessica Daly

Jessica is based in Tunbridge Wells, UK and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Using Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation

Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from ExploitationFootball has long been known as the game of the people, bringing joy to millions of watchers and players in all corners of the world. Still, perhaps it is less clear how the Homeless World Cup Foundation used football to protect vulnerable women from exploitation. Alongside the FIFA Foundation, the Homeless World Cup Foundation launched the Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation program in partnership with four African countries that deal with extreme poverty (Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia). Alongside fun football training and competitions, they developed tools to support women recovering from, or at risk of, exploitation.

Homeless World Cup

Poverty and football are complexly and deeply entangled. As an accessible game for most people, football holds great power as a catalyst for social change with grassroots programmes creating jobs and opportunities, developing vocational and life skills and empowering marginalised groups through social cohesion.

The Homeless World Cup has one vision –  to create a world in which homelessness does not exist. According to the U.N., there are more than 1.8 billion people who lack suitable housing worldwide, despite it being a human right. Through both its one-of-a-kind Homeless World Cup tournaments and by delivering year-round programs in 75 countries, they help to achieve their mission by helping players into stable housing, education programs, and employment.

Football to Protect Vulnerable Women from Exploitation Project

The FIFA Foundation and the Homeless World Cup Foundation recognized the transformative power of football to protect vulnerable women from exploitation and create safer communities. They partnered with four Homeless World Cup countries to develop and implement a curriculum of both football and non-football related activities: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Programs in each country have used the power of sports to focus on and improve on local issues. The overall project had several goals:

  • Identifying vulnerable women who are recovering from or are at current risk of exploitation
  • Creating safe spaces for these women, both on and off the pitch, and ensuring close ties to local women’s shelters
  • Engaging women in training sessions, including football, coaching, safeguarding, women’s empowerment, and vocational skills to improve employment prospects
  • Supporting and guiding these vulnerable women to productive, tangible and sustainable alternatives to exploitation and out of homelessness and poverty
  • Targeting young men on and off the pitch to develop positive masculinities in an effort to promote equality between men and women
  • Hosting and delivering women’s tournaments; the first Africa Women’s Cup happened in Tanzania in 2024, and the second in Kenya in 2025

Kenya

Around 45% of the Kenyan population lives below the global poverty rate of $3.00 a day. Additionally, around 1.4 million Kenyans live with HIV. As such, the partnership between the FIFA Foundation, the Homeless World Cup Foundation and Vijana Amani Pamoja (a football club formed in 2003 in an area of Kenya with a high rate of HIV), this project to use football to protect vulnerable women also had a large focus on sexual reproductive health and rights for girls and young women. Young women and girls who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation due to poverty and inadequate housing are at an increased risk of HIV, which makes this project all the more important.

Tanzania

Despite seeing significant growth in their economy and a major reduction in poverty since 2000, the poverty rate remains high, with around 29 million people still living in poverty, and 3 million houses are necessary to address the current shelter shortage. Gender-based violence remains a large issue in Tanzania; around 10%, or 2 million, girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation despite the law prohibiting it on girls under the age of 18. Consequently, the project to use football to protect vulnerable women from exploitation in Tanzania focuses largely on tackling gender-based violence to ensure sustainable and safe social development for young people.

Zambia

An astonishing 71% of the Zambian population lives below the poverty line, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. There has been a rapid rate of urbanisation with ‘higher’ paid jobs concentrating in urban areas; there remains a 1.3 million urban housing unit deficit. Zambia’s project partner is Bauleni United Sports Academy, which focuses on children and young people aged 6 to 20 who struggle with poor economic situations and social injustices. They provide resources and facilitate opportunities for 10,000 children to access high-quality sports programmes for positive impacts that last a lifetime.

Zimbabwe

Approximately 9.9 million people live on less than $4.20 a day, and around one in five people live in slums with limited access to water and electricity. Partnering with the FIFA Foundation and the Homeless World Cup Foundation, Zimbabwe’s Young Achievement Sports for Development is a community-based organisation that uses football and education to reach young people and help increase their confidence and prevent substance abuse.

Project Outcomes

This partnership and project have already helped and empowered many girls and women throughout the four partner countries through football and wider initiatives. Sport and football are powerful and effective transformative forces, helping create safer communities by protecting vulnerable women and girls from exploitation. Football and this initiative are far more than a game, but a lifeline for so many experiencing social injustices such as poverty and gender-based violence.

– Stephanie Gable

Stephanie is based in Wales, U K and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Using Bikes To Fight Poverty in Mexico City

Poverty in Mexico CityMany people associate bikes with an expensive international sport that is growing in popularity. With professional cyclists gaining attention on social media and brands using aggressive marketing, cycling is often seen as an exclusive activity for those who can afford it. In major cities around the world, it has become a strong attraction for sports enthusiasts.

In the United States, for example, a record 112 million Americans rode a bike at least once in 2024. Bikes and cycling can positively impact millions of people worldwide, especially in densely populated urban areas. One key example is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. 

In recent weeks, it officially became the largest metropolitan area in North America, with an estimated population of 25.6 million. That status brings major challenges, including urban poverty, inequality and rising pollution. Bicycles, however, have the potential to help address these issues. Through bike-share programs across the city, Mexico is using bikes to fight poverty, inequality and climate challenges.

Shared Mobility Services

Bikes can help address pollution and transportation affordability in urban areas. As more people migrate to cities, carbon emissions have continued to rise. Emissions from transportation, especially in cities, account for 22% of global fuel emissions. In response, many cities are turning to shared mobility services that reduce emissions by lowering the number of vehicles on the road. 

These services not only cut pollution in densely populated areas, but also give people more ways to reach their destinations without relying on a single mode of transport. These programs allow low-income households and individuals to move faster and more cheaply across the city, freeing some of their income to spend on other priorities. Bike-share programs are one form of shared mobility service being implemented worldwide to fight poverty. 

Major cities in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil have introduced bike-share programs for their populations. American cities like New York City and more than 150 European cities have also implemented similar programs. Although these initiatives continue to face regulatory and other challenges, there is a clear global shift toward supporting their success. 

Mexico City is leading such efforts in Latin America. It has the largest program in the region, “with [more than] 6,000 bikes and a competitive ride-hailing market with an estimated 200,000-plus drivers.”

Poverty in Mexico City

Although the government has worked over the last two decades to fight poverty across the country, poverty and inequality continue to plague Mexico City. The biggest challenge within the capital is inequality, with the “richest 1% of the population [owning] 40% of the country’s wealth, while nearly 19 million people struggle to put food on the table.” This is not new for residents, but it has worsened in recent years. 

For instance, “Mexico’s 22 billionaires have seen their fortunes double in the last five years,” while the average Mexican citizen has not seen proportional growth in economic status. Inequality within the city is evident in its real estate and housing environment. Those who are wealthy “have been very effective at isolating themselves from the rest of the country,” living in luxury apartments in the heart of Mexico City, where more economic opportunities are available. 

On the contrary, those with lower incomes are “relegated to sprawling cinder-block slums” located far from those opportunities. As a result, commuting to and from work is often costly and inefficient for low-income families. During an interview with Lucia Margarita Vazquez Alcantara, a resident of Mexico City for the last 40 years, she expressed frustration with the cost of gasoline for her car and taxis. 

“It is impossible to afford gas if you want to go anywhere in the city,” she stated. The distance and cost of transportation place a heavy burden on lower-income families in Mexico City, making it harder to escape cycles of poverty or afford basic necessities.

Bike-Share Programs in Mexico City

Bike-share programs offer an effective and environmentally friendly solution to reduce transportation costs in Mexico City and help lower-income families travel to their places of work. Ecobici is the city’s official bike-share program, allowing users to “take a bicycle from any cycle station and return it to the nearest one to their destinations in unlimited 45-minute rides.” If users wish to use it longer, they can pay for an affordable $32 subscription. 

This program shows how Mexico is actively using bikes to fight poverty. Women in particular are benefiting greatly from the Ecobici program in Mexico City. In urban areas, women often have “less access to quick and reliable transportation” and tend to make trips with multiple purposes.

The bike-share program improves mobility across the city and women have “gained a cheap, efficient and flexible mode of transportation.” Since its implementation, Ecobici has increased women’s bicycle use in the city from 10% to 38%. “I am too old to be riding bicycles, but now some of my friends’ daughters use them to get to work or go to ‘la tienda’ (grocery store) when needed,” said Alcantara. 

She added that although she does not ride bikes, she has seen tangible changes in Mexico City. The sky is clearer, pollution is lower and she sees more people smiling instead of yelling at each other behind the wheel.

Beyond their economic benefits, biking is growing in popularity among Mexico’s population. Monica Castilla, a hotel cook in the Zona Rosa area of Mexico City, expressed her preference for riding her bike over driving a car or taking the bus. “You get the stress out. You [get] exercise. And it’s faster,” she said. Mexico has 250 miles of bike lanes and “closes major avenues in the city center every Sunday” so cyclists can use them recreationally.

Conclusion

Bike-share programs are proving that simple transportation solutions can create real social change. In Mexico City, initiatives like Ecobici are reducing travel costs, expanding mobility for low-income families, supporting women’s independence and helping cut urban pollution. As the city continues to grow, Mexico is showing how two wheels can help move people closer to economic opportunity and a better quality of life.

– Rodrigo Salgado

Rodrigois based in Boulder, CO, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash